I guarantee Amazon's MP3 store is important to you

I’ll open by saying that despite switching to a Mac recently (because the Sony Vaio SZ-VGN460N is a terrible, terrible laptop) I’m not completely drinking the Steve Jobs Kool-Aid. I don’t like iTunes, and I don’t understand how more people aren’t crying foul at the Apple monopoly that is the iPod + iTunes music store. If it were any company other than Apple, the phrase monopoly would get used a heck of a lot more often. But, as a good friend of mine likes to say “the rules of physics do not apply to Steve Jobs.” He’s right.

So I like the Amazon MP3 store because it is open, not closed. Open content is good for consumers, period. You choose the software player on your computer, as opposed to it choosing for you. You choose the gadget to play it on, whether its your MP3 player or your cell phone. You burn it to your own custom mix CD, or you just listen to it on your PC.

Regardless of how much the current players (RIAA, music labels, Apple, etc) like or dislike this flexibility, this has been the de facto standard for music since the dawn of the cassette deck in the 70s. Let me repeat this, because it’s important: if you are 60 years old or younger, you were brought up in a world where purchasing music gave you rights to consume where, when, and how you chose.

My how this world has changed, and all thanks to the Internet, and for the worse. As consumers our rights are diminishing rapidly, all under the banner threat of “illegal downloading”. In fact the punitive damages surrounding “illegal downloading” are so severe you’d think Al Qaeda invented Napster and BitTorrent.

If I’ve piqued your curiosity, if any of this rings true and you want to learn more about how much the media industry has spent bribing congress to take away your rights, please pick up a copy of Lawrence Lessig’s Free Culture. If you are familiar with it, and want to use the most effective weapon you have (aka your checkbook), go buy a few MP3s from Amazon (and read this too). Showing monetary support for an open initiative is important. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but definitely in the long term.

2 thoughts on “I guarantee Amazon's MP3 store is important to you”

Amen, brother. You speak the truth. Too bad the masses are content with what is being fed/sold to them. As Richard Stallman like to stay (Video), they’re happy to give up their freedom in exchange for convenience..

The word is spreading…http://valleywag.com/tech/digital-music/everybody-hates-itunes-303512.php
I was talking to a friend the other day, and I mentioned my biggest gripe is the fact that iTunes is ingrained in ancillary music tools/programs i.e. Rane’s Serato Scratch Live. I’ve hated on iTunes ever since they snuck in the MP4 switchover a while back, effectively deading 1000’s of my tracks for DJ use…You see, Serato only reads MP3’s, yet uses a default “scan iTunes” button. It shows MP4’s, but can’t play them. Rest assured, as soon as Serato makes a patch for other music players, I’m outta iThere. p.s. good suggestion on the Free Culture. They should make this mandatory reading for all high school Freshman. That, and Fast Food Nation.

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About

Jeremy Toeman is VP Products for CNET. He has over 15 years experience in the convergence of digital media, mobile entertainment, social entertainment, smart TV and consumer technology. Prior ventures and projects include Viggle, Dijit Media, Sling Media, VUDU, Clicker, DivX, Rovi, Mediabolic, Boxee, and many other consumer technology companies. This blog represents nothing but his personal opinion and outlook on things.